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In the Matter of
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Requests for Waiver and Review of
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Decisions of the
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Universal Service Administrator by
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Abbotsford School District
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File Nos. SLD-875372, et al.
Abbotsford, Wisconsin, et al.
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Schools and Libraries Universal Service
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CC Docket No. 02-6
Support Mechanism
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ORDER

Adopted: December 12, 2012

Released: December 12, 2012
By the Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau:
1.
Consistent with precedent,1 we address 91 requests from petitioners seeking review of
decisions made by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the E-rate program (more formally known as the schools and libraries universal service support program).2 The petitioners are seeking waivers of the FCC Form 471 application filing window deadline under the E-rate program.3 We grant 58 requests and deny 33 requests.4

1 See Requests for Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Academy of Math and Science, et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-487009, et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 25 FCC Rcd 9256, 9259-60, paras. 8 & 9 (2010) (Academy of Math and Science Order) (finding special circumstances exist to justify granting waiver requests where, for example, petitioners filed their FCC Forms 471 within 14 days after the FCC Form 471 filing window deadline; filed their Forms 471 on time, but failed to timely file their certifications; or filed within 30 days despite medical issues); Requests for Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Anderson Elementary School, et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-789495, et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 27 FCC Rcd 5319, 5319-20, para. 2 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2012) (treating late-filed item 21 attachments like late-filed certifications); Requests for Waiver and Review of the Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Acorn Public Library, et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-637819, et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 23 FCC Rcd 15474, 15478, para. 7 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2008) (finding special circumstances exist to justify granting waiver requests where petitioners filed their FCC Forms 471 late due to circumstances beyond their control).
2 Section 54.719(c) of the Commission’s rules provides that any person aggrieved by an action taken by a division of USAC may seek review from the Commission. 47 C.F.R. § 54.719(c).
3 The requests for waiver and review are listed in Appendices A-D. Section 54.507(c) of the Commission’s rules provides for E-rate funds to be made available on a first-come-first-served basis, but requires USAC to implement an initial funding window that treats all applicants filing within that window as if their applications were simultaneously received. 47 C.F.R. § 54.507(c). Although some petitioners did not explicitly request a waiver of the FCC Form 471 application filing window deadline, we treat their requests for review as requests for waiver because, in each case, USAC denied their funding requests because their FCC Form 471 applications were submitted after the relevant filing window deadline.
4 See Appendices A-D.

Federal Communications Commission

DA 12-1998

2.
Based on the facts and circumstances of these specific cases, we find that good cause exists
to grant the 58 appeals listed in Appendices A-C with respect to the applications listed therein.5 We grant the 39 waiver requests listed in Appendix A, because those petitioners’ applications were filed within 14 days of the close of the filing window.6 We grant the 18 waiver requests listed in Appendix B, because each of those petitioners’ applications was submitted 1) on time but for their certifications or item 21 attachments; 2) within a reasonable period of the filing window’s close despite the person responsible for submitting the form suffering a serious illness; or 3) within a reasonable period of the filing window’s close despite other delays beyond the applicant’s control.7 We grant the appeal listed in Appendix C, because we find that the application identified therein was filed within the filing window.8
3.
Consistent with precedent,9 we also waive section 54.720(a) of the Commission’s rules,
which requires applicants to seek review of a USAC decision within 60 days, for two applicants.10 One applicant, High School for Recording Arts, submitted its appeals to the Commission within a reasonable period of time after receiving actual notice of USAC's adverse decision. The other applicant, Office of Enterprise Technology, did not miss the initial filing deadline with USAC, and therefore it is in the public interest to waive the deadline for its late-filed appeal to the Commission.
4.
We deny the 33 appeals listed in Appendix D because we find that, with respect to those
applications, the 33 petitioners have failed to present special circumstances justifying waivers of the Commission’s rules.11
5.
At this time, we find no evidence of waste, fraud and abuse in the record with respect to the
petitioners for which we grant relief. We therefore remand the underlying applications listed in Appendices A-D to USAC for further action consistent with this order. In remanding these applications to USAC, we make no finding as to the ultimate eligibility of the services or the petitioners’ applications.

5 See Appendices A, B, and C. Generally, the Commission’s rules may be waived if good cause is shown. 47 C.F.R. § 1.3. The Commission may exercise its discretion to waive a rule where the particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest. Northeast Cellular Telephone Co. v. FCC, 897 F.2d 1164, 1166 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (Northeast Cellular). In addition, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or more effective implementation of overall policy on an individual basis. WAIT Radio v. FCC, 418 F.2d 1153, 1159 (D.C. Cir. 1969); Northeast Cellular, 897 F.2d at 1166. Waiver of the Commission’s rules is appropriate only if both (i) special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule, and (ii) such deviation will serve the public interest. NetworkIP, LLC v. FCC, 548 F.3d 116, 125-128 (D.C. Cir. 2008); Northeast Cellular, 897 F.2d at 1166.
6 See Appendix A.7 See Appendix B.8 See Appendix C.9 Requests for Review and/or Requests for Waiver of Decisions of the Universal Service Administrator by Animas School District 6, et al., Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, File Nos. SLD-427902, et al., CC Docket No. 02-6, Order, 26 FCC Rcd 16903, 16905, para. 4 (Wireline Comp. Bur. 2011) (granting petitioners waivers of our filing deadline for appeals because they submitted their appeals to the Commission within a reasonable period of time after receiving actual notice of USAC's adverse decision, or their late-filed appeal would never have been necessary absent an error on the part of USAC).
10 47 C.F.R. § 54.720(a).11 See Appendix D; 47 C.F.R. § 1.3; Academy of Math and Science Order, 25 FCC Rcd at 9261, para. 13 (denying requests for waiver when the petitioners failed to present special circumstances justifying a waiver of section 54.507(c) of the Commission’s rules).
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Federal Communications Commission

DA 12-1998

6.
ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4
and 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a), that the requests for review or requests for waiver filed by the petitioners listed in Appendices A-C ARE GRANTED and their underlying applications ARE REMANDED to USAC for further consideration in accordance with the terms of this order.
7.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, 1.3 and 54.722(a), that section 54.507(c) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 54.507(c), IS WAIVED for the petitioners listed in Appendices A and B to the limited extent provided herein.
8.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, and 1.3 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, and 1.3, that section 54.720(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 54.720(a), IS WAIVED for High School for Recording Arts and Office of Enterprise Technology.
9.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the authority contained in sections 1-4 and 254
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-154 and 254, and sections 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722(a), that the requests for review or requests for waiver filed by the petitioners listed in Appendix D ARE DENIED.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Trent B. HarkraderChiefTelecommunications Access Policy DivisionWireline Competition Bureau
3

Federal Communications Commission

DA 12-1998

APPENDIX A

Requests Granted

(FCC Form 471 Applications Filed Within 14 Days of the Close of the Filing Window)

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